According to Ačaṙyan, derived by metathesis from earlier *մաղատ(*małat), from Proto-Indo-European*mlad-, grown from *mel-(“to grind”). Cognate with Old Church Slavonic младъ(mladŭ) and related to մատղաշ(matłaš). On the other hand, J̌ahukyan derives from Proto-Indo-European*meh₂d-(“wet; glossy, fat, well-fed”) and cognate to Persian مسکه‎(maska, “fresh butter”) and Old High German mast(“fattening”).